‘Criminals increasingly cross borders and so must we’, said Ladislav Hamran, President of Eurojust, the European Union’s judicial cooperation agency that supports the fight against organised crime and terrorism. The daily lives of citizens across our continent are directly impacted by the threats of violent terrorism and cybercriminals. The need for unity and for practical cooperation in the face of these cross-border challenges has therefore never been so urgent. 2017 was the year that we celebrated 60 years of European integration, but in the field of criminal justice, we actually look at a much shorter period of time. Twenty or…

By H.E. Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, President of BACA In 2018 Bahrain is concluding is cultural agenda celebration for Muharraq Capital of Islamic Culture, which we were truly honoured to have been selected by the Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), to represent an Islamic city from Arab world. We have dedicated our many annual events and festivals to compliment this year’s theme celebrating Muharraq, Bahrain’s second largest city. Indeed the city hostedthe annual Bahrain Fine Arts Exhibition in its 44th edition, the 18th Bahrain International Book Fair, the 26th Annual Heritage Festival, in addition to the…

By: Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al-Qasimi. Former Minister in the Government of United Arab Emirates, Former President of Zayed University, UAE. Leaders are known and remembered for years and possibly generations as they make a profound impact on their organizations, societies, or countries. Each has a different environment and history, but they all share in their longer term visions, and in their ability to see what the future can hold. They believe in a more optimistic future and get others to follow them, as they know leaders will bring them the happier, brighter future they aspire for. This longer term…

By H.E. Mrs. Päivi Kaukoranta, Ambassador of Finland. I have assumed recently, in the beginning of October, my functions as the Ambassador of Finland to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and as Permanent Representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. My responsibilities cover also the International Criminal Court and other Hague based institutions. It has been a flying start with a wealth of most interesting meetings and discussions. With a background in international law, last nine years as Director General for Legal Affairs at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, I am most happy to get an opportunity to…

By H.E. Mr. Per Thöresson, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden in Germany. On 1–5 April 2019, Sweden will be the official Partner Country at the Hannover Fair – Hannover Messe – the world’s largest trade fair for smart, connected industry. Sweden is the first Nordic country to have been invited to be Partner Country. This is of course a great honour, and a reflection of Sweden’s good reputation as an industrial nation. Somewhat tongue-in-cheek, Germany could be described as a big country with many successful medium-sized companies, while Sweden – like the Netherlands – is a comparatively small country…

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Diplomatic News

By Roy Lie Atjam. Art doesn’t only unite, it animates as well, with these words the Ambassador of Belgium to the Kingdom of the Netherlands H.E. Chris Hoornaert welcome his guests to an exclusive reception on the occasion of the upcoming BRAFA (Brussels Art Fair) at his residence in The Hague on Tuesday 16th 2018. Apart from Ambassador Chris Hoornaert welcome remarks, other speakers were: BRAFA’s vice chairman and secretary-general Mr. Christian Vrouyr. Delen Private Bank and Brussels Invest & Export and the Embassy of Belgium co-hosted the exclusive event. The reception clearly offered an excellent opportunity to rub shoulders…

By Guido Lanfranchi. U.S. Special Representative for Syria, Ambassador James Jeffrey, clarified that the United States is ready to remain engaged in Syria. In such engagement, the U.S. will step up efforts to defeat ISIS and to reach a political solution to Syria’s crisis. In November 2018, amost one year after the Helsinki meeting between U.S. and Russian presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, the approach of the United States to Syria has remained consistent: the U.S. is willing to stay “in the long run in Syria to try to come up with a solution that meets the needs…

On the picture President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, Emir of Qatar, Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister of Qataré. Sunday, 11 November 2018, Paris, French Republic: French President Emmanuel Macron opened the inaugural Paris Peace Forum, which seeks to promote a multilateral approach to security and governance that avoids the errors that led to the Great War’s (WWI) outbreak. Attending global leaders included US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdoğan, German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel, HH The Aga Khan IV, HH The Emir of Qatar accompanied by his Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed…

On the picture His Excellency Hector Horacio Salvador. Recently the Embassy of the Argentine Republic to the Netherlands used the lovely facilities at the Haagse Hogeschool to launch the official opening to the network of the Argentine Scientists and Researchers in the Netherlands. The event begins with a simple (and apt), yet to the point, introduction by His Excellency Hector Horacio Salvador on how the network came to fruition. He recounted the countless late-night meetings where colleagues from different expertise came together for a common goal; the establishment of a scientific platform that combines academics between the two countries. Furthermore, the ambassador…

On the picture H.E. Mr. Jean Pierre Karabaranga, the ambassador of Rwanda to the Netherlands with Rwanda’s participants during the International Floriculture Trade Fair 2018. From left to right: Mr. Victor Omuga, Marketing Manager of Bella Flowers, Madam Sadrine Urujeni, Deputy CEO for the National Agricultural Export Development Board of Rwanda, H.E. Mr. Jean Pierre Karabaranga and Mr. Shungo Harada, Managing Director of Bloom Hills. The International Floriculture Fair opened its doors from 7th to 9th of November. With a new record high number of exhibitors this year, the IFTF exhibition grew 15% in size and living up to its name…

H.E. Dr. Hisham Al-Alawi, Ambassador of Iraq. By Roy Lie Atjam. The Hague, 1 November 2018. Building a Stable & Prosperous Democracy in Iraq. Food Security, Climate Change and Sustainable Development. Such was the theme of a one day conference organized by the Clingendael Institute and The Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in the Netherlands. The venue was the Clingendael Institute and the Chancellery of Iraq for the afternoon session. The conference considered reconstructing a prosperous Iraq after an epoch of conflict and how Dutch – government and private sector could assist and support Iraq to build a prosperous…

By Guido Lanfranchi. On November 4th, 2018, the United States has reimposed another batch of nuclear-related sanctions on Iran. Such measures are set to affect Iran’s energy, shipping, and banking sectors, and they will have impact both within and outside the US. Six months after announcing its withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Deal, the United States has reimposed a second set of nuclear-related sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran. Such sanctions – US Special Representative for Iran Mr. Brian Hook explains – “are the toughest sanctions on the Iranian regime that have ever been imposed,” and their aim is…

The United Nations Day was celebrated in Curaçao on 24 October 2018, for the occasion Mr. Karel Frielink, Dean of the Consular Corps of Curaçao addressed the very special guests among them the Governor of Curaçao, Mrs. Lucille George-Wout, the vicePrime Minister of Curaçao and Minister of Health, Environment and Nature, Mrs. Suzy Camelia-Römer, thePresident of Parliament, Mr. William Millerson, the Minister of Social Development, Mr. Hensley Koeiman, the Commander of the Armed Forces on Curaçao, Brigadier General De Vin, the representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Curaçao, Mr. Raynel Martis, the Secretary General of the National…

Ambassador of Czech Republic H.E. Mrs Jana Reinišová and Ambassador of Slovakia H.E. Mr. Roman Buzek. Concert 100 Anniversary of Czechoslovakia. Concert to mark the 100th Anniversary of the Establishment of Czechoslovakia By Tereza Neuwirthova. On October 30th, 2018, the Embassy of the Czech Republic and the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in The Hague organised a classical music concert in order to mark the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Czechoslovakia. The concert took place in the church De Kloosterkerk in The Hague, and started at 7pm. The ceremony initiated with the national anthems of both the Czech and…

Diplomatic Pouch

By Armela Imeraj. Just last week, the biggest Azeri investment in the World, Trans Adriatic Pipeline started its final phase of construction in Albania, the one when the pipeline will be laid below the Adriatic Sea. In a great paradox of our times, while our sea has become a new horizon for collaboration and new opportunities, the “fake news” sea has become a threatening problem that endangers many of the achievements of democratic countries, particularly when it comes to new and delicate democracies like those in the Eastern Europe or the Balkan Peninsula. The globalization and commercialization of fake news…

Rabbi Dr. Alon Goshen-Gottstein, director of the Elijah Interfaith Institute and Archbishop H.E. Aldo Cavalli, Apostolic Nuncio of the Netherlands. Under the leadership of the Peace Palace, the Carnegie Foundation and the Elijah Interfaith Institute several religious leaders and representatives attended a meeting announcing an upcoming Declaration of Friendship Across Religions, to be signed by religious leaders of the word at the Peace Palace in 2020. The Declaration of friendship across religions, intend to foster peace and understanding creating friendship among all religions. The launch of the project at the Peace Palace on September 26 is a preamble to the…

By Barend Ter Haar. How often have the Minsk Agreements been violated this year? The parties involved in the fighting in Eastern Ukraine agreed in Minsk to cease firing, to withdraw heavy weapons, to remove landmines and to allow the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) of the OSCE to monitor implementation of the agreement. The agreements were adopted or confirmed at the highest level. So how often do you think they were violated this year? The answer is: more than 200.000 times. In the first nine months of 2018 the SMM noticed more than two hundred thousand violations of the agreement….

“Keep on climbing!” With these words Mark Verheul started his farewell letter to the diplomatic community in May. Over the years he had been inspired many times by these simple words of a dear friend of his. Earlier on this year they inspired him again after a certain flow of events at city hall, which resulted in deciding to take a next step in his career. After more than 8 beautiful and interesting years as head of protocol, he took the initiative to leave the municipality of The Hague. It was time for a change. A new professional perspective. In…

By Adelin Remy. This forum was initiated by the presidents of the Republic of Azerbaijan and of the Russian Federation in 2010 to hold dialogues, discussions and exchange of views on a wide range of global issues in the interest of humanity. Among 500 participants from 60 countries, Agefi Luxembourg was invited this year and among the many topics (education, innovation …) was particularly interested by the inaugural speech of President Ilham Aliyev on Azerbaijan (1) and by the joint session of the religious leaders on “The Policy of Multiculturalism as a Factor of Ensuring Stability in Society“. The…

Ms. Cora van Nieuwenhuizen, Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management, Mdm. Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, Viet Nam Chairwoman of the National Assembly and the Ambassador of Viet Nam to the Netherlands, H.E. Ambassador Ngo Thi Hoa. The celebration of the 45th anniversary of Viet Nam and the Netherlands diplomatic relations in the Netherlands was launched by the Chairwoman of the National Assembly, Mdm. Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, with the presence of the Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Ms. Cora van Nieuwenhuizen. During the unique occasion the Embassy of Viet Nam presented an special issue Viet Nam 45…

By Roy Lie Atjam. From 2-5 October 2018 the annual Cybersecurity Week, organized by The Hague Security Delta, was held in The Hague. Simultaneously the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy organized the One Conference which aims to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and ideas concerning cybersecurity. It was during these events, on Wednesday 3 October 2018, that I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. lkhom Abdullaev, PhD at his hotel in The Hague. He is here to expand his network to hopefully meet with as many kindred spirits as possible…

By Sheila Turabaz. On the 26th of September, the Great Hall of Justice of the Peace Palace – generally known as the courtroom where the hearings of the International Court of Justice are held – was not centered around dispute settlement but on the recognition and celebration of the efforts and accomplishments of noble individuals and organizations, furthering the cause of international peace “in whatever way, by word or deed in the form of international action, in literature, or the arts”. The Carnegie Wateler Peace Prize is the second-oldest award for peacemakers (after the Nobel Peace Prize). The Carnegie Wateler…

By Farida Abdullaeva. The future of the planet depends on the views of humans on humanitarian issues, depends on the development of a dialog between civilizations, cultures, and religions. That’s why the best intellectuals of the modern world gathered at the VI Baku International Humanitarian Forum, in order to discuss and formulate answers to global questions that worry the whole humanity today. A Forum participant, Head of the Inter-Parliamentary Group of Russia-Azerbaijan Friendship, Dmitry Saveliev, shares his impressions of the Forum. – Dmitry Ivanovich, you took part in the work of the Baku Forum for the third time. In your…

By Askar Shakirov, Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Kazakhstan. During the years of independence, Kazakhstan has managed to build a balanced political system with a stable market economy, ensured a stable growth of the well-being of the population, and maintained interethnic harmony in the country. In a relatively short period of time, our country has successfully integrated into the international community, taking its rightful place as a dynamically developing country. According to the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan, an individual, his life, rights and freedoms are the highest value of the state, which creates the basis…

Edited by Steven van Hoogstraten There is a visible interface between international law and the Hague, the city where so many institutions of international law are established. This book presents the views developed by some of the active players in the legal capital of the world. The starting point is a reflection of what was said during a seminar in January 2016 in the Peace Palace. The intention was to identify some of the greater legal policy questions of today: the acceptance of the jurisdiction of the ICJ as a prerequisite to dispute settlement – so called optional clause. Is…

Alexander Terekhov was born in 1980. He constructed his first piece of clothing when he was only six years old, when he made a dress for his mother. An internship at Yves Saint Laurent fashion house, several New York Fashion Week shows and a some prestigious awards later, Alexander Terekhov is one of the leading contemporary Russian designers. His specific signature and his drive to be ahead of trend, shows in every design. He is the favorite of contemporary influential models such as Adriana Lima and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Chapurin: Russian high-end fashion for the first time, exclusively, on the Dutch…

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Breaking News

OPCW’s Strategic Course to be Set During Conference of the States Parties and Review Conference The Hague, the Netherlands —19 November 2018 — Over the next two weeks, Member States of Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) will convene in The Hague for the Twenty-Third Session of the Conference of the States Parties (CSP-23), which opened today, followed by the Fourth Review Conference (RC-4), which begins on Wednesday, 21 November. The aim of these sessions is to establish the future direction of the OPCW for the next five years and to review the operations of the Chemical Weapons…

Statement of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, on the transfer of suspect, Alfred Yekatom: “The cause of justice in the Central African Republic has been strengthened by today’s surrender”. The people of the Central African Republic have suffered and endured atrocious crimes in one of this century’s violent conflicts. I welcome today’s transfer of Mr Alfred Yekatom to the International Criminal Court to face justice for his alleged crimes. Our independent and impartial investigation has produced evidence on the basis of which we allege Mr Yekatom is criminally responsible for several counts of crimes against humanity…

The Hague, Netherlands — 8 November 2018 — The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), H.E. Mr. Fernando Arias, met with the Ambassadors and senior diplomats to the OPCW based outside of The Hague and the Vice-President/High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security, H.E. Ms. Federica Mogherini, during his visit to Brussels, Belgium. During the Director-General’s meeting with the Permanent Representatives to the OPCW based outside of The Hague, the Director-General discussed issues pertaining to the upcoming Twenty-Third Session of the…

On 23 October, the national authorities of Bulgaria and Spain, supported from a coordination centre at Eurojust, arrested 13 people (four in Bulgaria and nine in Spain) and searched 17 properties. More than 30 600 pieces of cultural heritage artefacts, mostly comprising real and counterfeit coins, were seized from an organised crime group (OCG) involved in the looting and illegal trafficking of cultural goods from Bulgarian archaeological sites as well as the online sale of counterfeit goods in Spain. Approximately EUR 180 000 in cash was…

The Hague Accord unites public and private entities in systematically fighting crime through anonymous reporting The Hague, the Netherlands- October 31 2018. During the Crime Stoppers International(CSI) 39th Annual Conference—Creating Alliances Against Crime— more than a dozen public institutions, private corporations, NGOs and law enforcement agencies signed The Hague Accord. As the global authority on anonymous reporting, CSI drafted The Hague Accord in an effort to lead a progressive movement to empower communities to take action against criminals and criminal networks through anonymous reporting networks. “Transnational organized crime poses a growing threat to national and international security, with dire implications…

Slobodan Praljak (2013) By Zoran Lesic. The Hague, 2 November 2018– Today the Hague Public Prosecutor’s Office released the report on the death of Mr. Slobodan Praljak, one of the six appellants in the Prlić et al.case of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), and concluded that no criminal offences were established related to the incident. It further informed the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), as the successor organization to the ICTY of the results of the investigation. Mr. Praljak committed suicide on 29 November 2017 by drinking a liquid substance in the courtroom, during…

The Hague, Netherlands —29 October 2018 — The Director-General of the OPCW, H.E. Mr. Fernando Arias, addressed the annual meeting of the Board of Directors of the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) about the importance of cooperation between and chemical industry for attaining the goals of the Chemical Weapons Convention. In the meeting, which took place in Amsterdam on 26 October, the Director-General expressed: “Cooperation between us is vital for the fulfilment of the promise of the Convention — a world free of chemical weapons.” He also highlighted challenges facing the OPCW such as the re-emergence of chemical weapons. …

The Hague, 29 October 2018– Mechanism Prosecutor Serge Brammertz will visit Sarajevo from 29 to 31 October, as part of preparations for his regular biannual report to the UN Security Council (UNSC). Prosecutor Brammertz will meet with Acting Chief Prosecutor Gordana Tadić and President Ranko Debevec to discuss the status of war crimes processing in Bosnia and Herzegovina, cooperation with and support from the Mechanism Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) and potential solutions to challenges in regional judicial cooperation in war crimes cases. During his visit, the Prosecutor will also meet with members of the Regional Coordinating Body of Families’…

Wiesbaden/Berlin/Brüssels: Hessian Minister for European and Federal Affairs Lucia Puttrich has called for her country to prepare for unsolved issues concerning the UK’s upcoming departure from the European Union. In her opinion, the latter affects all German federal states; in fact for her “everything must be done to avoid a hard Brexit without an agreement. Yet should it come to that, we must be prepared”. Minister Puttrich has highlighted Hesse’s preparations for a hard Brexit during the two-days conference for the European affairs ministers of the German federal states held at Brussels. According to Minister Puttrich the political situation in…